Hong Kong

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The UK seized Hong Kong in 1841, and China formally ceded it the following year at the end of the First Opium War. The Kowloon Peninsula was added in 1860 at the end of the Second Opium War, and the UK obtained a 99-year lease of the New Territories in 1898. Pursuant to a UK-China agreement in 1984, Hong Kong became the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) of the People's Republic of China as of 1 July 1997. In this agreement, China promised that, under its "one country, two systems" formula, China's socialist economic and strict political system would not be imposed on Hong Kong and that Hong Kong would enjoy a "high degree of autonomy" in all matters except foreign and defense affairs for the next 50 years. <br><br>After the handover, Hong Kong continued to enjoy success as an international financial center. However, growing Chinese political influence and dissatisfaction with the Hong Kong Government in the 2010s became central issues and led to considerable civil unrest, including large-scale pro-democracy demonstrations in 2019 after the HKSAR attempted to revise a local ordinance to allow extraditions to mainland China. In response to the protests, the governments of the HKSAR and China reduced the city's autonomy and placed new restrictions on the rights of Hong Kong residents, moves that were widely criticized as contravening obligations under the Hong Kong Basic Law and the Sino-British Joint Declaration. Democratic lawmakers and political figures were arrested in a widespread crackdown, while others fled abroad. At the same time, dozens of civil society groups and several independent media outlets were closed or disbanded. In 2021, Beijing imposed a more restrictive electoral system, restructuring the Legislative Council (LegCo) and allowing only government-approved candidates to run for office. The changes ensured that virtually all seats in the 2021 LegCo election went to pro-establishment candidates and effectively ended political opposition to Beijing. In 2024, the LegCo passed a new national security law (Article 23 of the Basic Law) further expanding the Hong Kong Government's power to curb dissent.

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Eastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and China

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22 15 N, 114 10 E

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Southeast Asia

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six times the size of Washington, D.C.

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733 km

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subtropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall

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hilly to mountainous with steep slopes; lowlands in north

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outstanding deepwater harbor, feldspar

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10 sq km (2012)

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population fairly evenly distributed

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occasional typhoons

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consists of a mainland area (the New Territories) and over 200 islands

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Chinese 91.6%, Filipino 2.7%, Indonesian 1.9%, other 3.7% (2021 est.)

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<strong>note:</strong> data represent population by usual spoken language

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Buddhist or Taoist 27.9%, Protestant 6.7%, Roman Catholic 5.3%, Muslim 4.2%, Hindu 1.4%, Sikh 0.2%, other or none 54.3% (2016 est.)

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<strong>note:</strong> many people practice Confucianism, regardless of their religion or not having a religious affiliation

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0.09% (2025 est.)

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7.45 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

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8.16 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

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1.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

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population fairly evenly distributed

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7.685 million Hong Kong (2023)

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29.8 years (2008 est.)

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1.24 children born/woman (2025 est.)

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0.6 (2025 est.)

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2.04 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

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4.9 beds/1,000 population (2020 est.)

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49.8% (2021 est.)

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air and water pollution from rapid urbanization; urban waste pollution; industrial pollution

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subtropical monsoon; cool and humid in winter, hot and rainy from spring through summer, warm and sunny in fall

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presidential limited democracy; a special administrative region of the People's Republic of China

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special administrative region of the People's Republic of China

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mixed system of common law based on the English model and Chinese customary law (in matters of family and land tenure); China's imposition of National Security Law incorporates elements of Chinese civil law

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<strong>note:</strong> since 1990, China's National People's Congress has interpreted specific articles of the Basic Law

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see China

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18 years of age in direct elections for 20 of the 90 Legislative Council seats and all of the seats in 18 district councils; universal for permanent residents living in the territory of Hong Kong for the past 7 years

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<strong>note:</strong> in indirect elections, suffrage is limited to about 220,000 members of functional constituencies for the other 70 legislature seats and a 1,500-member election committee for the chief executive drawn from broad sectoral groupings, central government bodies, municipal organizations, and elected Hong Kong officials

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<strong>note:</strong> electoral changes that Beijing imposed in March 2021 expanded the Election Committee to 1,500 members

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<strong>note:</strong> all political candidates are evaluated by the Candidate Eligibility Review Committee (CERC), which was established in April 2022; CERC members are all appointed by the chief executive

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Business and Professionals Alliance for Hong Kong or BPA <br>Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong or DAB <br>Federation of Hong Kong and Kowloon Labour Unions or HKFLU <br>Hong Kong Federation of Education Workers or HKFEW <br>Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions or HKFTU <br>Kowloon West New Dynamic or KWND<br>Liberal Party or LP <br>New People's Party or NPP<br>New Prospect for Hong Kong or NPHK <br>New Territories Association of Societies or NTAS <br>Professional Power or PP <br>Roundtable or RT

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<strong>note 1:</strong> there is no political party ordinance, so there are no registered political parties; politically active groups register as societies or companies<br><br><strong>note 2:</strong> by the end of 2021, the leading pro-democracy figures in Hong Kong had been effectively removed from the political arena under the provisions of Beijing's 2021 electoral changes or via charges under the 2020 national security law; in addition, dozens of pro-democracy organizations, including political parties, unions, churches, civil rights groups, and media organizations have disbanded or closed; as of 2023, nearly all politically active groups were pro-Beijing

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<strong>note</strong>: Hong Kong is a Special Administrative Region of China and does not have a diplomatic presence; the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO) carries out normal liaison activities and communication with the US government and other US entities; the position of the Hong Kong Commissioner to the US Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is vacant; address: 1520 18th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036; telephone: [1] (202) 331-8947; FAX: [1] (202) 331-8958; email:  hketo@hketowashington.gov.hk; website: https://www.hketowashington.gov.hk/

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ADB, APEC, BIS, FATF, ICC (national committees), IHO, IMF, IMO (associate), Interpol (subbureau), IOC, ISO (correspondent), ITUC (NGOs), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCO, WMO, WTO

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none (special administrative region of China)

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National Day (Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China), 1 October (1949)

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<strong>note:</strong> 1 July (1997) is celebrated as Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Establishment Day

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<strong>description:</strong> red with a stylized white Bauhinia flower with five petals in the center of the flag; each petal has a tiny five-pointed red star with a fine red line curving toward the center of the flower<br><br><strong>meaning:</strong> the red color is the same as the Chinese flag and represents the motherland, and the five stars also echo the Chinese flag; the Bauhinia flower was developed in Hong Kong the late 19th century and has come to symbolize the region

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bauhinia flower

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red, white

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high-income tourism- and services-based economy; global financial hub; COVID-19 and political protests fueled recent recession; ongoing recovery but lower-skilled unemployment remains high; investing in job-reskilling programs

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<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

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<b>note:</b> annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

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<b>note:</b> data in 2021 dollars

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$407.107 billion (2024 est.)

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<b>note:</b> data in current dollars at official exchange rate

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<b>note:</b> annual % change based on consumer prices

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<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

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<b>note:</b> figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

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pork, chicken, spinach, vegetables, pork offal, game meat, beef, fruits, onions, pork fat (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

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trading and logistics, financial services, professional services, tourism, cultural and creative, clothing and textiles, shipping, electronics, toys, clocks and watches

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3.4% (2024 est.)

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<b>note:</b> annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

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3.836 million (2024 est.)

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<b>note:</b> number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

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<b>note:</b> % of labor force seeking employment

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<b>note:</b> % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

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<b>note:</b> personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

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<b>note:</b> balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

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<b>note:</b> balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

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China 22%, Vietnam 12%, S. Korea 8%, Netherlands 5%, Switzerland 4% (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

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gold, integrated circuits, gas turbines, broadcasting equipment, jewelry (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top five export commodities based on value in dollars

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<b>note:</b> balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

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China 40%, Taiwan 10%, Singapore 7%, Japan 5%, S. Korea 4% (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

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integrated circuits, broadcasting equipment, gold, machine parts, jewelry (2023)

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<b>note:</b> top five import commodities based on value in dollars

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<b>note:</b> holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

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34 commercial terrestrial TV networks, each with multiple stations; multi-channel satellite and cable TV systems available; 3 licensed broadcasters, one of which is government-funded, operate about 12 radio stations (2019)

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.hk

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B-H

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2 (2025)

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142 (2025)

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Hong Kong Police Force (specialized units include the Police Counterterrorism Response Unit, the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Bureau, the Special Duties Unit, the Airport Security Unit, and the VIP Protection Unit)<br><br>China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) Hong Kong Garrison is responsible for defense duties; the garrison includes elements of the PLA Army, PLA Navy, and PLA Air Force and are under the direct leadership of the Central Military Commission in Beijing and under administrative control of the adjacent Southern Theater Command (2025)